Army’s 10th Infantry Division Flags AI-Generated Image Faking Troop Support for Senator dela Rosa
The Philippine Army’s 10th Infantry Division has warned the public about an AI-generated image on social media that falsely shows its soldiers expressing support for Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, GMA News reported on October 30.
In a statement, the division, known as the Agila Division, said the manipulated image misrepresents the professionalism and political neutrality of military personnel by fabricating an endorsement that could mislead the public. It urged people to verify information through official sources before sharing posts, to help stop the spread of false information and protect the Army’s integrity. The division said it stands firmly against disinformation and the misuse of artificial intelligence to misrepresent its personnel, that its official positions are communicated only through authorised channels, and that it serves Filipinos without political affiliation or preference.
The image surfaced at a politically charged moment. Dela Rosa is wanted by the International Criminal Court in connection with the crimes against humanity case arising from former President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs, in which the senator is accused of being a co-perpetrator. The Department of the Interior and Local Government has claimed he is hiding in Mindanao under the protection of an armed and powerful group, which it has not named.
What it means in practice
A fabricated show of military backing for a senator facing an international arrest warrant is the kind of content that can inflame tensions quickly, because the neutrality of the armed forces is central to public trust. Generative tools make such images cheap to produce and hard for casual viewers to spot, which leaves institutions reacting only after a picture has already spread. The episode adds weight to calls for a more coherent national AI policy and to House proposals on accountability for AI use, such as the measure that would make principals liable for what their AI agents sign and buy.
The Army statement did not say who created or first posted the image, how widely it was shared, or whether the division had asked platforms to take it down. For ordinary users, the practical advice is the one the division gave: treat any post claiming to show soldiers taking political sides with suspicion until it is confirmed by an official account.
What to watch next is whether investigators trace the source of the image, whether platforms label or remove it, and whether lawmakers push rules on deceptive AI content that impersonates security forces.